Sacrifices Must Be Made
by clairedelunexx
Summary: This is kind of a crossover of Buffy/Twilight, or has traces of a Buffy story line and Twilight characters, and a few twists of my own. Except, Bella is a Manipulator of the mind, instead of a Slayer.


_**Isabella Swan is a Mind Manipulator; the protector from all things harmless to the mind. Nearly all vampires (according to Stephenie Meyer, of course) are evil demons with terrible mind powers they use to get inside a human's brain and severely harm them. It's Bella's job to protect the people from being eternally brain damaged, and when Edward Cullen comes to town, she can't sense any bad vibes or intentions from his brainwaves. Everything is good about him, but very odd. She can sense that something evil pulses in the very depths of his mind, but its blocked by a higher power. A Soul. She immediately falls in love with him, and he with her. Their relationship is off to a great start until she dies for a few short seconds and Faye Hale is Activated. **_

_**Now, with two Manipulators in Forks, there is no way that any vampire can harm anyone, right? Wrong. When Faye finds out what she can do with her manipulative abilities - push people into doing her bidding - she goes rogue and works for the General Mind Forces; a secret organization in Port Angeles for all Potential Manipulators, Current Manipulators and telepathics around the world - but Faye is by far the strongest. And the most power-hungry.**_

_**Meanwhile, Edward is having strange dreams about his alter-ego, Edward Masen, his soulless self...a merciless killer. He is worried about these dreams, because all Masen thinks about is killing Bella. And half the dreams are memories, of when he lost his soul and then regained it, thanks to Bella, of course. Now, he must refrain from going too far in his relationship, because any moment of true happiness (Buffy-ism, lol) will restore him to his psychopathic self and he knows that once he is Edward Masen again, he will stop at nothing to kill the first Manipulator, Bella Swan. **_

_**This is kind of a crossover of Buffy/Twilight, or has traces of a Buffy story line and Twilight characters, and a few twists of my own. Except, Bella is a Manipulator of the mind, instead of a Slayer. I hope you all like it. Oh, and if any of you haven't seen Buffy the Vampire Slayer, look up "Faith" and you'll know the Faye is identified with her.**_

_Eddie Masen walked along the streets, a sliver of blood trickling down the side of his mouth. He loved the taste of human flesh in the brink of night. It always gave him pleasure to kill random innocents on the streets of Port Angeles. Except for when he drank the smokers and druggies. God, did their blood taste fowl, or what? Okay, and the swimmers. Chlorine did _not_ do well with him. _

_As he kicked a can, his mind drifted over to the town Manipulator, Isabella Swan, as it often did. He rubbed his temples and tried to get the image of the girl out of his head. He was cured now, he shouldn't be having these thoughts about the stupid bitch who weakened him and made him feel so regrettably human. He couldn't even tap into her thoughts. How sick was that?_

"_Goddamn you, Swan. Goddamn you," he cursed below his breath. It was almost as if she were making him lose his evil touch. Maybe he needed to feed a little bit more. It might just take the edge off of struggling to get over Bella._

_He grabbed a sickly, anemic looking prostitute and bit her neck, inhaling her drug-infused blood until her body went entirely limp and he let her slowly drop to the ground in a useless heap. As he closed his eyes, ready to see the hate painted on his eyelids, he was shocked to see that she was still there - what a surprise - ringed by a golden halo, wrapped in a gauzy white chiton, just like the Egyptians. _

"_God fuckin' dammit," he swore, storming off into the night. _

I'm going to kill Bella Swan, if it's the last thing I do...

ooo

Edward Cullen awoke in his bed, covered in a thin sheen of sweat. He reached out and grabbed his necklace, the one with the silver _B_ at the end. It was his good luck charm and he never left the mansion without it.

He didn't like having these dreams. They were so filled with hatred. Especially when they took part in the mind of his other half, Edward Masen. The one who despised Bella, the love of his life, also known as the Mind Manipulator. She could push anyone into believing what she desired. And also undo any mental spells done by vampires that came into town, wanting to control everyone they come in contact with. He mopped his forehead with the back of his hand and quickly dressed in black pants and a silk, black button-up.

Bella's favorite.

Tonight they were going on their nightly patrol in Forks, and he always liked to look good for her, as he imagined she liked to look good for him. As he pulled on his blazer, the doorbell rang and he jumped up from the bed, eager to answer it. When he opened the door, standing there, in a midnight blue tube top and short-shorts, honey-colored skin glowing, was Faye Hale, the other Mind Manipulator in Forks.

Traditionally, there was only supposed to be one Mind Manipulator. When one died, another was Activated. They protected people from the mental penetrations usually supplied by the merciless Volturi and many other vampires who pushed people's minds into doing their bidding. Faye and Bella were the one exceptions to any mind reader and they were the feared ones, because although no one could get into _their _thoughts, they could get into everyone else's. Including the vampires, and Volturi.

"Hey, Edward," Faye said, smiling at him, her dark red lips parting. He stepped back and swallowed down part of his fear, not feeling like dealing with the traitorous young woman who had tried to give him back his soul.

"Faye," he nodded at her, faking an air of calm.

"Formal. Nice. Going on a patrol with the Bell?" she asked, twirling a piece of her blonde, almost brown hair around her finger. Edward flattened himself against the wall farthest from her, eyeing every part of her body for a stake or any holy object that could potentially harm him.

_Bella, where are you? _He mentally urged, hoping that by some miracle, she was within mental range. He may have been strong and immortal, but he was still no match to a Manipulator, who's mental abilities could potentially maim him. Then, what do you know, there she was, dressed in all black, glaring at Faye's barely-exposed back.

"Hi, Faye. Now, what could a petty, psychopathic, materialistic bitch like you possibly be doing in a soul-ridden vampire's abode, when you could be out whoring around the street's of 'somewhere else'?" Bella asked, cocking an eyebrow.

Faye turned slowly around and smiled. "Hey, B, I didn't know you'd be here. I was just popping in on my good friend Eddie. We're so close, aren't we now?" She asked, turning to give Edward a flirty smile. He slunk away from the wall and stuck his hands in his pockets, feeling more at ease with Bella here. It kind of worried him that he felt so defenseless around Faye, but he knew that any sane person, or vampire, would know to not trust the rogue Manipulator who had killed many humans in her short time of playing the "Bad Girl".

"I think you should go now, _F_. I believe I saw some kittens in the alley. So, why don't you go do what you do best and torture them?" Bella said, smiling sweetly.

Faye rolled her eyes and placed her hand on her hip. "Just so you know, B, I'm only letting you slip by with your petty comments because I'm on a very important mission."

"And what is that, exactly?" Bella quipped, stepping into the house.

"Need some blood," Faye answered. And with that, she snapped her fingers and an arrow sailed out from somewhere in the house, piercing Edward through the heart. He grasped his chest and Bella leapt toward him, just as Faye dashed out of the house.

"Bella," he rasped, just as she caught him.

"Edward...Edward, you're going to be okay," she soothed, running her hand down his face. His body shook violently and he squeezed her tightly. If she had been an ordinary human, his tight grip would have hurt. But, luckily, Manipulators were not only graced with incredible telepathy, but also enhanced strength.

"Don't leave me, Bell. I need you," he said, his voice all uneven.

She smoothed his hair and kissed his forehead. "I'm not going anywhere."

And with that, Edward collapsed against her.

ooo

Bella wiped Edward's clammy forehead with a wet washcloth as she listened to her father over the phone.

"Is he better, Bell? How bad is he? Has his state gotten any worse?" Charlie asked, sounding worried. But despite his worries, his questions didn't fail to feel like incoming bullets. Charlie Swan was Bella's Mentalist. He watched out for any evil mental activity going on in Forks. A while ago, he had been hoping that, with two Manipulators, the vampires wouldn't trek into Forks and cause havoc. Now, though, he realized that he was way off. Apparently, two Manipulators - now one, what with Faye going rogue - was more fun, so they flocked to Forks like an All-You-Can-Eat buffet. Which, when dealing with vampires, that was basically the case.

"Bella," Edward moaned, searching the room for her. She knew he couldn't find her, for he had gone delusional.

"Have you found a cure yet?" she asked, speaking into the phone again.

Charlie "mmm'd" a couple times, and then spoke, "Is he clammy?"

"Yeah," she said, wiping the cloth once again across his forehead. He moved his head and opened his eyes, their usual vibrant green paled to a puke color. It deeply worried her, especially since she couldn't tap into his thoughts. Not easily, anyway. They were all muddled and unclear. Whenever she looked into his head, she was always blocked by a cloud of pinkish smog.

"Get any input from his thoughts?"

"Not really. They're all muddled and unclear. Its like there's smoke surrounding his brain. They're blocking off his brainwaves," she said, continuing to wipe Edward's head.

"Pink smog?"

"Pink_-ish_. Salmon colored, almost."

"Ah," Charlie said, sounding like he got it now. That relieved Bella.

"Okay, what are we dealing with here?"

"Let's see," he mused. She could hear the turning of pages from his end of the line. "Clamminess...smog around the brain...delusions...ah!"

"What?"

"Its a Latin poison. It doesn't tell me the specific name, but it means 'killer of the dead'. It poisons any dead being, weakening them, causing delusions, muddled thoughts...," he paused and turned a page again. "...until the splinters from the arrow touch the heart and kills them."

"Charlie, what do I do?" Bella asked, watching as Edward's hand fell from her.

"They must drink the-," but he stopped, his voice shaking.

"Charlie. Tell me the cure," she ordered him, her palms getting sweaty.

Charlie swallowed and said in a calm voice, "He must drink the blood of a Manipulator. He has to drain her." As that sunk in, Bella looked over at Edward and swallowed, thinking about her options. Only one Manipulator could be his cure; okay and she could as well, but there was only one person that she wouldn't mind killing to be the donor.

"Bella? What do you propose we do?"

She nodded and spoke into the phone again. "_You're _not doing anything. I know just the Manipulator he can drain."

ooo

Faye kicked a vampire in the stomach, and when he was down, she pulled out her stake and drove it deep into its chest. His dust fell into the dirt and she smiled, blowing the tip of her stake like it was a gun.

"Good one," Bella said, coming up behind the girl. Faye whirled around and put on her "I'm a badass and I'll cut you one day" Smile. It didn't scare Bella one bit. Not tonight.

"Hey, B, how's the boyfriend?" Faye asked.

Bella straightened out her long, black Matrix-style coat and adjusted her long brown hair, which she had artfully styled into a radically sexy look. It made her feel better about Faye looking a lot more appealing then she did. Plus, that was about to change. She pulled out a knife and flipped it into the air, catching it neatly in her left hand.

"Guess what?"

"Yeah, B?"

"I just found out the cure to your arrow," Bella said, wagging the dagger in front of Faye's face like it was a dog toy. The other girl's eyebrow arched and she folded her arms across her voluptuous chest, she was always flaunting them like they were the best things in the world. It bugged Bella like nothing ever had bugged her before.

"Oh, really? Enlighten me, please," she asked.

Bella nodded and gripped the knife. "Blood. The blood of a Manipulator."

"Oh, good. Eddie'll love that." Faye said, about to turn around, but Bella reached out and grabbed her elbow.

"I'm not talking about me," and with that, she slashed toward the other Manipulator with the knife. But Faye was ready, and she smacked Bella back, kicking up with her leg. Bella dodged before the girl's foot could catch her in the jaw and rolled away, jumping up behind Faye. She thrust at her exposed backside, but she whipped around and grabbed Bella's arm, twisting it around behind her back.

"Sorry to burst your bubble, B, but I'm not that easy," she slammed Bella down and climbed on top of her, pulling out her knife. Bella kicked her legs out and knocked Faye to the side, doing a front flip so that she landed on her feet, a large scratch across her torso. Touching the wound, she felt the stickiness of blood and then whipped around to see Faye, holding her head, a little bit of blood seeping through her fingers.

"You cut me," Bella growled.

"You did the same. Good job, B. You're finally learning," she said. "But I bet you can't kill me. You're not there yet." She skittered away and Bella chased her, anger rising inside her. She chased the other Manipulator several blocks until they found themselves on top of a building, and it wasn't until she got her bearings that she realized it was on top of Faye's apartment building. It was fairly flat, and if either of them rolled too far, they would find themselves a pile of guts on the sidewalk.

"Scared of heights, B?" Faye asked from behind. Bella jumped and before she could do anything, she was shoved down and rolled away until she stopped almost at the edge.

"Hardly," she grunted and flipped back up onto her feet. She ran toward Faye, with her dagger raised until the other girl stopped her advance with her own weapon. They battled it out, parrying here and parrying there, knocking each other down but coming up almost right away. Faye raised her blade and brought it down to plunge into Bella's head, but Bella snapped her arm up and knocked the attempt away.

"You think you're better than me," Faye said, smiling wickedly.

"I am. I'm not a killer," Bella said, and then grabbed Faye's weapon arm. "But I can change that." And with that, she plunged her knife into Faye's abdomen.

As soon as the blade cut into the girl's flesh, Bella realized what she had just done. She pulled her hand back and looked into her old ally's fear-filled eyes.

"You killed me," she whispered.

"Faye, I'm-," Bella started, but she couldn't finish.

"I knew you were like me," Faye said. And she felt back, plummeting downward until she smacked onto a truck filled with sharp wood scraps. Bella pocketed her knife and looked over the edge, unable to believe that she had actually killed Faye.

"I'm sorry," she said, and turned around. Now wasn't the time to mourn.

She knew what she had to do now.

ooo

Bella stormed through the doors of Edward's home, immediately running into her two best friends, Jessica and Mike. They were huddled close together, as if in a deep conversation. Bella slowed down and looked at them, feeling suspicious.

"Hey, guys," she said. Jessica turned around and flung her arms around Bella.

"Thank god you're here! Edward, he-he's been asking for you." Bella patted her friend's back and pulled away to smile at Mike.

"Hey, Bell. You okay?" he asked, his soft brown eyes caring and kind.

"Good, but I need you guys to head home. If you don't mind, I need to be alone with my lover." Bella said, clenching her fists and biting her lip so as not to show her anguish. Jessica and Mike had both seen her cry, but not in the way that she would soon be doing if they didn't leave her. Her pain would be much too strong for them to bear.

"I'll take her home," Mike said, leading Jessica out the door. Just like that. God bless him. Bella breathed in and pushed into Edward's room, afraid of what she would see.

He looked bad. His old torso was shiny with sweat and his chest was heaving, which worried her. Vampires didn't have breath, and to see him breathing this heavily scared her. She stepped up to him and pressed her hand to his hot cheek, fighting back tears of fear as he looked up into her eyes.

"Bella? I-is that you?"

She nodded. "Its me. How are you?"

"It hurts," he moaned, clenching his teeth. She sat beside him and stroked his hand.

"I need you to sit up."

He did so, but with a lot of pain. He only got himself halfway before collapsing back onto the pillow. She touched his cheek and forced his eyes to look into hers.

"I found a way to make you better," she said.

"Wh-what?"

She sighed. "You have to drink blood."

"Blood?"

"Yes. The blood of a Manipulator." As soon as the words were out, his eyes suddenly flew open and he looked straight at her. Shaking his head, he struggled to get out of bed, mumbling refusals as he tried to get away.

"No. You can't make me. I'll kill you."

"Maybe not," she said.

"No." He stumbled up and started to walk out of the room, falling and bumping into walls. She could tell from the strains on his back that he was dead serious. But he had no choice. With Faye most likely dead, she was the only other Manipulator he could drain in order to heal himself. She jumped in front of him and brought her hand clear across his face, knocking him back.

"Bella," he gasped in surprise. But she wasn't finished. Not yet. She slapped him again and again until he looked back at her, an enraged look in his green eyes. His features were contorted into a demonic way and his normally straight teeth were pointed like a shark's. Vampiric.

Bella pulled her hair aside and then yanked down her collar to expose her neck. She knew that when he was in this enraged state, he would never be able to resist her fragile, pale, blood-filled neck. He lurched toward her and clamped his teeth on the space between her shoulder blade and neck. She gasped in surprise but bit back a cry as he drank. Her hand flew up to cup his neck and held him there, making sure that he drank every last ounce. She knew that there was a very good chance that this would kill her, but she didn't care as long as it saved him. She was told that she was destined to die young, anyway. So, what would it matter?

He drank even more, until they both fell to the floor and he pinned her down drinking even faster. She flashed her arm out and groped a chair leg, crushing it to splinters in her capable hands. Her leg shot out and kicked in a glass urn, creating a shatter that echoed off the walls. And then...nothing. She gasped as he pulled away and almost immediately, she faded into the darkness.


End file.
